17 AUGUST
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
3227

THE WEATHER IN NEW ZEALAND IN JUNE 1984

General—June was very mild, and dry in most areas. The north of the country had its lowest frequency of strong winds for June since 1966 but strong winds were a little more frequent than usual in the south. The south of the country recorded the highest frequency of north-westerly winds since 1959, with just over half of all winds from the north-westerly quarter. Gale force winds caused damage to some agricultural buildings and caused widespread power cuts in the Gisborne area on the 6th.

Pressures were very high over the whole country this month.

Farmers generally reported that the dry, mild weather was excellent for stock health, and most crops. Some farms in the south of the North Island had problems with outbreaks of porina caterpillar infestation of pasture.

Rainfall—With the exception of the East Cape—Gisborne region and the north-west Nelson, Westland and Fiordland regions, the whole country was drier than usual for June.

Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa were exceptionally dry, with many stations reporting less than 10 percent of normal rainfall. Napier recorded 8 mm of rain, the least for June since 1933. Bagshot Station (N.E. of Masterton) had its driest June since 1880 with 25 mm recorded. Ongaonga had 8 mm, the least for any month since the station opened in 1969, and Waipukurau also had 8 mm, the lowest June total since 1940, and 2nd lowest since opening in 1906.

In contrast the area between East Cape and Wairoa was wet, mainly due to heavy rainfalls on the 6th and 7th, the result of a deep depression off East Cape. Among stations recording heavy falls on the 6th were: Te Puia Springs (197 mm), Ruangarehu (190 mm), Waiwhero (181 mm), and Te Karaka (160 mm). Estimated return periods for falls in coastal areas were mostly between 5 and 10 years, but were in the vicinity of 20 years for inland areas. Many local roads were closed by slips and there were widespread disruptions to communications.

The north-west Nelson region was very dry until the 29th, when falls of between 90 mm and 120 mm brought the average rainfall for the month to normal or above normal.

Temperatures—Mean temperatures indicate that, for much of the country, this was the mildest June since 1971.

Temperatures were above normal everywhere. The north Auckland Peninsula, the east of the North Island and Fiordland were up to 1°C warmer than usual, while the rest of the country was between 1.0°C and 2.5°C warmer than normal.

The period between the 8th and 12th was particularly mild, with mean temperatures between 6° and 8°C above average in many areas. Stations in eastern areas recorded maxima above 20°C during this period, including, on the 9th, 22.0°C at Vernon Lagoons, 21.5°C at Lake Grassmere, 20.2°C at Christchurch Gardens and 20.7°C at Blenheim. Napier reached 22.0°C on the 10th.

Sunshine—Eastern areas from Gisborne to Dunedin were sunnier than normal this month, while northern and western areas of both Islands were very cloudy.

Both Hokitika, with 59 hours and Ohakea, with 70 hours, had their lowest totals for June since the stations began recording in 1935 and 1964 respectively (Hokitika had a site change in 1964).

Among those places recording the greatest departure this month were: Gisborne Airport (+29 hours), Dunedin Airport (+25 hours), Christchurch Airport (+21 hours), Hokitika (−56 hours), Ohakea (−41 hours), and Kaitaia (−26 hours).

THE WEATHER SEQUENCE, JUNE 1984

1-7 June
A large anticyclone, centred to the west of New Zealand, covered the country on the 1st. The weather was cool and fine, apart from isolated showers in some western areas. Cool, fine weather continued until the 3rd, when a shallow trough developed between the anticyclone, now centred east of New Zealand, and a second centred over Australia. A front within this trough brought rain to Westland, Southland and central New Zealand.

Temperatures were mild. The trough developed over New Zealand and rain become widespread on the 4th and 5th, with heavy rain in some eastern areas on the 6th. A depression, which had developed off Norfolk Island on the 5th, moved southwards during the 6th and brought rain to the north of the North Island. This lay off East Cape by the 7th, with rain confined to the East Cape—Gisborne area.

8-14 June
By the 8th the depression lay to the east and a south-westerly flow covered the country. A front within this flow brought rain to the south and west of the South Island on the 8th and 9th. The flow became north-westerly during the 9th with temperatures becoming mild, especially in eastern districts. A belt of high pressure lay over the North Island on the 10th, bringing a westerly flow onto the country. Rain fell in south-western areas between the 10th and 12th as fronts passed within the flow but temperatures remained mild. By the 13th the flow had become south-westerly. A front crossed the country during the 13th and 14th, but brought only light showers to isolated areas.

15-21 June
An anticyclone lay centred in the Tasman Sea on the 15th and as this crossed the country during the 3 days from the 15th to the 17th most districts had mild, settled weather, although some rain fell in some western and southern areas of the South Island as fronts moved eastwards along the southern edge of the anticyclone. By the 18th a belt of high pressure covered the north of the country, with a westerly flow to the south. A front within this flow brought light rain to some western areas of both Islands.

A depression developed and deepened rapidly near Lord Howe Island during the 19th and as this moved eastward heavy rain fell over the north of the North Island on the 19th, spreading south over the North Island to the north of the South Island on the 20th. Rain remained widespread but became lighter on the 21st, with the depression remaining to the west.

22-30 June
There was a general clearance on the 22nd as the depression weakened and crossed the country. A ridge extended south-eastwards from an anticyclone over Australia onto the South Island during the 23rd, bringing fine weather to most areas, although rain fell in some eastern areas of both Islands. By the 24th an anticyclone had developed over the country. The weather was generally fine but cool. The anticyclone intensified during the 25th, bringing generally fine, mild weather, although a cold front passing to the south brought heavy rain to western and some southern areas. Light showers fell in isolated areas of both Islands on the 26th and 27th as this front slowly crossed the country. A depression began to form near Lord Howe Island during the 27th and by the 28th lay to the west of New Zealand. Widespread, and in some areas heavy, rain fell during the 29th and 30th as the depression moved eastward.

PROPOSED DISCONTINUATION OF THE WEATHER SEQUENCE
Daily weather information, including maps, is now available through various media. The Meteorological Service is therefore proposing to discontinue publishing the Weather Sequence as above, though the Climatological Table and written summary will continue in the Supplement to the New Zealand Gazette.

People having a special need for the Weather Sequence as currently published are invited to write to:

The Director,
New Zealand Meteorological Service,
P.O. Box 722,
Wellington.

by 30 September 1984.

J. S. HICKMAN, Director.

BY AUTHORITY: P. D. HASSELBERG, GOVERNMENT PRINTER. WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND—1984
Price 50c
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